Thanks for that advice, Terry. I might give it a shot your way. Though the insurance pays for a good portion of my sensors, I'd love to get more life out of them.
Is there any place to get Skin-Tac besides the internet?
Some of my comments repeat what others have already said, but here's my two cents, although this is all from my own experience and not approved by a CDE, endo, etc.
A "bleeder" isn't necessarily bad, and once it stops bleeding can often be used like normal. Not always, but it takes a WHOLE LOT of blood to ruin a sensor in my experience, come to think of it I don't think I've ever actually had a "bleeder" not work. They tell you it won't, but since these things aren't cheap, I use for as long as possible whenever possible.
I don't understand your sentence about DKA being a cause of failure for a sensor... I've been pretty stupid high (not on purpose, but s**t happens) and once I get back into a reasonable range my sensor is back on track every time.
Calibrate only when known stable, both by arrows on the CGM (if using) and by your meter along with a review of whether you should be heading up or down based on what you've done in the last few hours.... Since no one single system is perfect, take the info from all three before deciding if you are currently stable, and should continue to be for the next 20 minutes or so. Its not necessarily quick or easy, but it makes for way better readings over the long run.
Also, the glucometer you use can make a difference too. Its a crap-shoot as to which one is "most accurate", but I've read of some people who had way less sensor reading errors after switching glucometers, which implies that the new glucometer gives more accurate (or at least more consistent) readings. Most of us are constrained by our insurance companies, but a new meter system might be worth looking in to. (Not to start a great debate, but I believe the One Touch Verio IQ, the AccuCheck Nano and the Freestlye Lite have proven themselves decently in a couple of official studies.)
Sensor placement can make a big difference, although the belly is the "trainer-preferred" site, I get better readings, longer lasting sensors and way less irritation using the backs of my arms. Experiment with arms, legs, and lower back to see if you can find a go-to area.
Check out the book "Beyond Fingersticks" by Will Dubois for a lot of easy to read tips and tricks on not just how to do things to make it work better, but WHY those things make it better.
Since you already had a Seven with few problems though, I would chalk at least half of it up to a meteorological disturbance since it seems as though half of them worked fine for you....
My thoughts, as long as you aren't going up or down fast, calibrating hasn't been an issue. The programmers know it has a 15 minute lag and so it probably does the number crunching once 15 minutes is up. I use skin prep wipes and then seem to help with adhesion, but when they start to peel, I have skin tac if needed, and I can cover it with hypafix. I'm getting 2 weeks out of them fairly easily.
Finally, it seems to be a day (maybe more) before it really gets into its groove. When I was sleeping on the receiver, it lost communication and gave the the ??? (I also had the hourglass once). Once communication is maintained for 30 minutes, it should get back on tract. If it doesn't keep the same sensor in and do Shutdown and Restart. I'd generally just give that a try before pulling a sensor off.
I bought mine on the internet. I don't have a link handy but I usually order through Amazon. Looking at my bottle of Skin Tac, it's about 3 ounces with a metal rod attached to the underside of the bottle cap and has a fabric applicator ball at the lower end. The bottle label lists, "Reorder # MS407."
I find that the Skin Tac supply will lose its stickiness over time. My current supply lists the expiration as 2012 but this bottle still works. My experience with the previous bottle was that it eventually didin't work.
Ok, thanks for checking that out! I'll keep an eye out. I'm currently in an apartment situation where it's difficult to get packages, so I try and do as much shopping as I can at brick and mortar stores.
It will (should) get better. I used both 7+ and now G4. The G4 has been amazing for me and I normally get 20+ days out of a sensor before it begins to get wonky. I've gotten over a month one time and it basically fell off. I don't use any skin tac etc to keep it on.
Couple of my tips (sorry if repeats) :
-always make sure the sensor is sitting properly on your skin before insertion
-do not over calibrate. Only calibrate when asked by the Dex.
-As mentioned by others, try to calibrate when your numbers are relatively stable. I don't calibrate after meals or exercise. I also try not to calibrate if I'm over 200.
-First day or two of a new sensor my be off more than you would expect.
Best of luck. Without my CGM I feel completely blind and the G4 was a huge step forward in my opinion over my 7+.
My sugar levels are always above 200 as I am on shots again >_<....I keep telling my team at Joslin that shots do not work! Which is why I went on the pump in the first place. So I've been checking my CGM monitor and I just cant seem to get the # down to even calibrate even when its time to do so. So far my CGM is behaving even though I think I am on week 2 or 3 with the sensor (I cant remember at the moment). I am hoping from here on out that it will get better for my own sanity
I keep seeing people say that they are getting great readings from the G4 especially when on the low side. My experience with the G4 has been not so happy. Had great results with the 7 but VERY UNHAPPY with the G4. I will have great accuracy for 2-2 1/2 days then be off for the next 3-4 days by 30-50%. Doesn't matter if it's day 1 of a new sensor or if it's day 14. About to contact Dexcom and insist on a new CGM, thinking I have a bad one.
Well, of course it's not suppose to be in muscle :-)
I've pondered that, and wondered why, because muscle tissue would give much more real-time readings (muscle is one of the most highly perfused tissues in the body).
I'm guessing it's because it would hurt -- badly. How did yours feel?
When I first started using the Dexcom 4 mos ago, I had real issues with the adhesive. One came off the same day after a session at the gym. I started using Johnson & Johnson waterproof tape, applying 4 short strips of tape around the sensor. Works like magic and does not come off even after 2 weeks+.
Hey Kristina - for what it's worth, I've had great experiences with both the 7+ and now G4. Hopefully you too will have good experiences with the G4. I'm on day 34 of a sensor and it's still going strong!!!
FWIW, I'll chime in with mikep and echo his comment. Though you may have some startup issues like any newb might have with any new device, I also think you will end up loving your new G4. Mine has been great. I am on day 13 now, wear them on my arms, and use it for all my dosing (YMMV), and it is doing great (my transmitter is also almost a year old, and they are only supposed to last 6 months). I've read enough 'bad' experiences here to know we're all different, and perhaps expectations are not always met by any of these devices, but I suspect you will like it a lot.
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